The U. S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Fossil Energy, through the National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL), is forging government/industry partnerships under the Solid State Energy Conversion Alliance (SECA) to reduce the cost of fuel cells and to develop fuel cell coal-based systems for clean and efficient central power generation. These goals equate to removing environmental and climate change concerns associated with fossil fuel use while simultaneously establishing a foundation for a hydrogen-based economy and a secure energy future in the United States. With the successful completion of the first cost reduction phase in fiscal year (FY) 2006, SECA is one step closer to realizing its vision of cost-effective, near-zero-emission fuel cell technology for commercial applications.

Launched in 2000, SECA is an inventive collaboration between government, the private sector and the scientific community to accelerate the development of modular, low-cost, fuel-flexible solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) systems that can operate on coal gas, natural gas, bio-fuels, diesel and hydrogen. This approach will facilitate deployment into the marketplace by making SOFCs fuel flexible and an affordable option for energy generation. SECA's DOE mission is to have its fuel-cell systems ready for FutureGen, soon to be the world's cleanest coal-fueled power plant.

The SECA cost reduction goal is to develop and design SOFCs capable of manufacture at $400 per kilowatt (kW) by 2010. Concurrently, SECA coal-based systems will scale and integrate SECA SOFC technology for delivery to FutureGen in 2011. Development of large (greater than 100 megawatts) SOFC power blocks will enable affordable, efficient, and environmentally-friendly electrical power from coal. Key system capabilities to be proven by 2015 include 50 percent or greater IGCC plant efficiency in converting the energy contained in coal (HHV) to grid electrical power, the capture of 90 percent or more of the carbon contained in the coal fuel (as CO2), elimination of NOx to well below levels of environmental concern and a cost of $400/kW for the fuel cell power block, exclusive of the coal gasification unit and CO2 separation subsystems.

The alliance is comprised of three groups: Industry Teams, Core Technology program participants, and federal government management. The status of this program, the future requirements for hydrogen, and program opportunities will be discussed.